of milwaukee



Dec. 27, 1927.

B. T. ANDREN ToRsIoN REsIsTING cRoss BAR FOR AUTOMOBILE FRAMES Filed June 28, 1926 ATTORNEYS,

INVEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

UNITED S'lif-iTESy BERGER TORVALD ANDREE, OF MILW'AUKEE, W'ISCONSEN, ASIGNOR TO A. O. SMTH CORPORATON, OF MILWAUKEE, WXSCONSIN, A CORPORJLTION 0F NEVI YGRK.

TORSION-RESISTING CROSS BAR FOR AUTOMOBLE FRAMES.

Application filed .Tune 28,

The invention relates to an improved construction of torsion resisting cross bars for automobile frames, in which the attaching gussets are formed integrally therewith.

`tresides generally in a cross bar of polygonal cross section formed from a channel or U-shaped member, and a rectangular plate permanently secured to the tree edges ot' the sides of the channel member to complete the integral tubular formation. The margins of the said plate adjacent the ends of the channel member constitute the integral gussets whereby the cross bar may be attached at its ends to the side bars ot' an automobile trame. The structure may vary on its cross sectional lines in the length ot the bar, to meet the specifications ot' the construction in which the cross bar is employed. rEhe channel member .in any ot the forms ot the bar, is drawn from a strip ot sheet metal of uniform width, vtollowing which procedure the usual operation to produce a contoured blank is eliminated, and the whole amount ot' metal in the rectangular strip is thus incorporated in the cross bar without waste.

In one form of the invention, the cross bar comprises as one ot its elements an arch forming member with a iiat top varying in width, and with depending sides also varying in width, the latter being disposed perpendieularly with relation to the tlat top. The top of the arch forming member is wide at its middle and narrow at its ends. The depending sides are deepest at the ends ot' the cross bar where the arch is narrow, and have their least depth at the center of the cross bar where the arch is widest, viewing the said bar as positioned in the trame of which it constitutes an clement. ln any cross section, the arch forming member has the shape ot' an inverted U-channel or rectangular structure open at its bottom side, and the cir-- cumference ot' the said member is the same on any cross sectional line. The narrowed formation at the ends ot' the arch member subserves a purpose which later will be de` scribed.

The structure is completed by the addition to the inverted channel member forming the arch, of a bottom plate 'formed oitl a metal strip having a width approximating, or slightly in excess ot that olf the arch forming member at the widest part of the latter,

1926. Serial No. 119,013.

which plate closes the downwardly opening the depending sides oi the arch forming member. The projecting ends ot' the bottom plate are returned over the ends of the channel member which they abut, and again over the top ot the arch forming member i'or a short distance. Such bottom plate and the lapped ends are welded to the lower edges and the ends of the depending sides of the arch forming member preferably along all meeting lines, and the extreme ends o't the plate to the top ot the arch forming member, so as to iiorm an integral and inelastic structure.

ln my invention, the margins of the bottom plate which extend laterally ot' the cross bar, are made thus to embrace the narrowed ends ot' the channel member, and are utilized as integrally formed gussets through which the ends of the cross bar are attached to the side bars to constitute the frame as a fixed structure. The construction is such that all ot the usual separate gussets are dispensed with, and the number of elements en- -tering into the construction ot the frame is thereby reduced.

The novel features of the invention will now be described in detail, and then pointed out in the claims appended to this specification.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a plan View ot an improved cross bar of arch formation constructed in accordance with my invention, the view bein T broken out at parts for the sake of clearncss, and showing the manner of attaching the ends of the cross bar to the side bars of an automobile frame, by means ot the gussets formed integrally with the cross bar.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the cross bar, with the side bars in section.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the cross bar at the crown of the arch, look ing in the direction of the arrows 3 3, Fig. 2.

Fig. et is a similar view of oneend of the cross bar on the line L /l, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a like view on the line 5-5, Fig. 2.

Fig. (l is a horizontal sectional. view showing one end 1otl the cross bar at the point of its attachment to the side bar, and showing a slight modiliication in the contour of the bottom plate of the cross bar which otherwise is the same as that previously shown.

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. t, taken on the line @-6, Fig. 6, and showing the modi fied construction.

ln making my improved cross bar, l take a rectangular' strip of sheet metal of suit able width and length and by the action of a metal drawingv press convert the .same into a. longitudinally channelled member of tlshape in any cross section. rllhe channel is narrowy and deep at its ends and wide and shallow at its middle, aswill be apparent from Fig. l, the web or dat bottom of the channel tapering horizontally from its central section toward its ends and the sides thereof vertically from the center section to the` end sections to produce the depth described, as in Fig. 2, through an intermediate section in which the width of the web and the sides are equal, so as to form an ap prozriinately square cross section. rlhese different formations of the arch forn'iing mem ber are indicated in Figs. 3, il and 5, respectively. ln Fig. 3 the, numeral ll indicates the widened web or bottom o'l the channel and ll and ll the shallow si( thereof. ln l? ig. 4l the numeral l2 indicates the narrow portion of the web or bottom and l2 and 1Q. the widened sides thereo'l. ln llig. 5 the web or bottom 13 and the sides i3 and 13 are substantially equal in length. so as to form an intermediate square cross section through which the central. construction illustrated in Sinerges into that shown in F l.

A rectz'angular plate 14. having a width only a little in enc-ess of that of the greatest width of the channelled arch forming member, and al length which 'will enable its ends to project beyond those ot' the said member, isy bent so to conform to the curvature of the lower edges of the sides of the arch forming member, the plate `l4 being welded to the said edges in the outer angle formed Aat their meeting lines, throughout the length ot the latter, as indicated at 14. rllhe ends of the strip or plate .le are upturned as at l5 and i6. so as to abut the ends of the arch forming member and are welded thereto as at l5 and lli. on lines 1which are continuous of the curved welding lines lfl which unite theparts. The upstanding ends of plate 14: are then lapped over at l? and 18, so as to lieupon the top of the arch fornr ing member at the ends thereof. rlhe `laps 1.7 and 18 may be welded 'to the top of the arch forn'iinej meml'ier. as at i7 and ll, if found desirable.

By reason of the uniform width. of plate 14, the margins lll and 9,0 lying outside of the arch forming1 member at the narrowed ends of the latter, are utilized as gussets resale? which are integrally farmed with the. cross bar, so that the ends of the cross bar may be attached to the side bars 2l and Q2, as shown in the drawing, whereby the elements of the frame may be assembled and connected with greater facility, and the extra work of pre paring and positioning separate gussets is eliminated.

Figs. 6 and i show a slight modi tlcation in the structure, in that portions of the marn gine lil and E() of the plate la are cut away as indicated at Q3 in lfig. il, so as to follow the lateral displacenient of the sides of the arch forming member, and the lower edges of the sides of such member are turned out-- wardlj,7 as' at Q11-, in Fig. 7, so as to bring the lateiallj,T ntending edges and Ell into alignment to permit the fusing and. Welding et the ecu. together as indicated at This modification involves an additional blanlzing operation, but offers advantaf igeousk fielding7 however. lt has a further advantage in that by the renioval of eficess ma-` rl'he borelilre tubular structure in which the present invention is embodied in its different forms ollers a -torsional resistance to the stresses imposed on the frame. and maintains the latter against distortion by load or unl'aroiable road conditions.

ln the speciiic form in which the invention illustrated, the arch formation is ein ployed to provide a clearance for the motor mecnanism in certain types of automobiles, but the construction shown may be varied; and in some constructions the dimensions of y'idth and height of the cross bar may be uniform, withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention. any change in proportions, so long as the essential `i'efitures of the D et formations upon the ends of the cross bar are preserved, will be within the scope of the claims.

Haring 'thus desfribed my invention, what l claim and desire to secure by liet-ters ljatent of the United States, is:

l.. ln an automobile frame, a torsion resisting cross bar comprising a channel inem ber and a plate permanently Secured to the free edges of the sides of said channel inember to cover the channel and complete i rigid tubular structure, the said plate extending laterally of the ends of the channel incn'iber and forming integral gussets at the ends of the cross bar, whereby the latter may be attached lo the side bars of the frame.

2. Jl. torsion resisting cross bar for aulomobile frames, such bar comprising :in rr` Verted channel member and a plate permaneatlyv secured to the free e( of the de pending` .sides of said channel member to close the channel and form a rigid tuluilar structure. the said plate extending laterally ofthe ends 'of the channel member and form lili) lli? ing integral gussets 'at the ends of the cross bar, whereby the latter may be attached to the side bars oit the traine.

3. A torsion resisting cross bar for autoV mobile trames, such bar comprising a channel member' narrow at its ends and a plate secured` to the tree edges ot the sides ot said channel member to e osethe channel and form a rigid tubular structure, the said plate extending laterally oit the narrowed ends of the channel Vmember and forming integral gussets at the ends of the cross bar, whereby the latter may be attached to the side bars ot' the frame.

et. A. torsion resisting cross bar for automobile trames, such bar comprising a channel member wide at its middle and narrow at its ends and a plate secured to the .tree edges of the sides of said channel member to close the channel and form rigid tubular structure, the said plate extending laterally of the narrowed ends of the channel member and forming integral gussets at the ends of the cross bar, whereby the latter may be attached to the side bars of the frame.

5. A torsion resisting cross bar for automobile frames, comprising a channel member and a plate permanently secured to the tree edges or the sides of said channel member to close the channel and form a rigid tubular structure, the said plate extending laterally ot and embracing the ends ot' the channel member' to term gussets integral with Vthe cross bar, whereby the latter may be attached to the side bars of the trame.

G. A torsion resisting cross bar tor automobile lrames, comprising a channel member and a plate permanently secured to the tree edges of the sides of said channel member to close the channel and 'form a rigid tubular structure, the said plate extending laterally of the ends oi the channel member and the projecting ends ot' the said plate being returned over the ends oit the channel member' and secured thereto to form gussets integral with the cross bar, whereby the latter may be attached to the side bars of the frame.

7. A torsion resisting cross bar for automobile t'rames, such bar comprising` an inverted channel member having a. fiat top and depending sides and narrow at its ends, and a plate secured to the lower edges of the depending sides to close the channel, the said plate extending laterally of the narrowed ends ot' the channel member, whereby integral gussets are provided for attaching the cross bar to the side bars ot the trame.

8. torsion resisting cross har for automobile trames` such bar comprising an inverted channel member having a l'lat top widened at its middle and narrowed at its ends and depending sides, and a plate secured to the lower edges of the said sides and attached thereto to close the channel, the

verted channel member having a liet top` widened at its middle and narrowed at its ends and depending sides, and a plate hav-k ing a width ap aroximating that oil the widened part of the cross bar secured to theY lower edges oit the said sides to close `the channel, the end margins ot the said plate extendinglaterally oi the narrowed ends ot" the channel member, whereby integral gussets are provided for attaching the cross bar to the side bars of the trame.

l0. A torsion resisting cross bar for automobile rames, such bar comprising an inverted U-shaped channel member having a flat top wide at its middle and narrow at its ends, with depending sides deeper at their ends than at their middle to form an arch, a bottom plete bowed to conform to the curvature ot the lower edges ot the said sides and secured thereto to close the channel, the said plate extending late ally with relation to the said narrow ends and forming integral gussets l'or attaching the cross bar to the side bars ot the trame.

ll. rl torsion resisting cross bar for automobile i'raines, such bar comprising an inverted U-shaped channel member having a tlat top wide at its middle and narrow at its ends, with depending sides deeper at their ends than at their middle to form an arch, a bottom plate bowed to conform to the curvature ot the lower edges of the said sides and secured thereto to close the channel, the said plate extending laterally of the said narrow ends and upturned to abut the ends ot' the said sides to iorm integral gussets for attaching the cross bar to the side bars of the trame.

l2. A torsion resisting cross bar for automobile trames, such bar comprising an inverted U-shaped channel member having a flat top wide at its middle and narrow at its ends, with depending sides deeper at their ends than at their middle to torni an arch, a bottom plate bowed to conform to the curvature ot the lower edges ol' the said sides and secured thereto to close the chann nel, the ends ot' the said plate extending beyond the ends oit the channel member being returned to embrace the narrow ends ot the channel member to which they are secured, to form integral gussets whereby the cross bar may be attached to the side bars or' the frame.

13. A torsion resisting cross bar for automobile frames, such bar comprising an inverted U-shaped channel member having a flat top wide at its middle and narrow at its ends, with depending sides deeper at their ends than at their middle to form an arch, a bottom plete having a Width approximating that ot the wider part ot the Channel nien'iber and bowed to contorni -to thecurvature o' the lower edges ont the said sides and secured thereto to close the channel, the ends o'f the seid plate being returned around and over the narrow ends of the Channel member and secured thereto to forni integral gussete for attaching the Cross bar to the side here of the frame.

14:. A torsion resisting cross bar for auto mobile trames, comprising a channel inember of given Width and length and e plate oi greeter Width end length permanently eecured interinediately tothe tree edges of the sides of said channel member to close the channel and forni a rigid tubular structure, the projecting ends of the said plate being returned Vover the ends ot the channel niember end secured thereto, and portions of the plate eXtending laterally of the ends of the channel member forming integral gussets upon the Cross bar, Wherehg,VT the latter may be attached to the side bars or' the frame.

ln testimony whereof, I have signed my naine at Milwaukee, tliiS 11th day of June, i926.

B. T. ANDREN. 

